One of the recurring themes of the 2014 Forbes Healthcare Summit was that smartphones and mobile apps would play a larger role in the industry. However, the safety and security of these platforms are being debated. Nanthealth’s CEO Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong feels he may have a solution.

Brain cells called microglia chew up toxic substances and cell debris, calm inflammation and make nerve-cell-nurturing substances. New research shows that keeping them on the job may prevent neurodegeneration.

Philanthropist and entrepreneur Paul G. Allen announced a commitment of $100 million to create the Allen Institute for Cell Science in Seattle. The Allen Institute for Cell Science will take a multidisciplinary, team science-driven approach to understanding a fundamental and yet elusive question in cell science.

Researchers have taken what they describe as “the first step toward a pill that can replace the treadmill” for the control of obesity, though that shift, of course, would not provide all of the many benefits of exercise.

Children with autism spectrum disorder were more than twice as likely to have been exposed in utero to preeclampsia, and the likelihood of an autism diagnosis was even greater if the mother experienced more severe disease, a large study has found.

Scientists have for the first time identified a protein that plays a key role in regulating how blood stem cells replicate in humans. This discovery lays the groundwork for a better understanding of how this protein controls blood stem cell growth and regeneration.

Researchers have shown a non–surgical injection of programmable biomaterial that spontaneously assembles in vivo into a 3-D structure could fight and even help prevent cancer and also infectious disease such as HIV.

More women are learning their breasts are so dense that it's more difficult for mammograms to spot cancer. But new research suggests automatically giving them an extra test isn't necessarily the solution.

Scientists have discovered a new line of defense used by cancer cells to evade cell death, according to new research. The team identified a critical pathway of molecular signals which throw a lifeline to cancer cells.

Just as weather forecasting has improved over recent decades, the accuracy of forecasting influenza and other infectious diseases is expected to improve, according to research from a team that placed first in the CDC’s “Predict the Influenza Season Challenge.”

New research in robotics might help with stroke rehabilitation, guide wheelchairs, and assist children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Projects investigating co-robotics are the focus of new funding from the National Institutes of Health.